The Routine Death of Consiousness

[Alfonso Crawford]

Dying is pretty much like sleep. When you die, you are no longer conscious, are you; just like falling asleep? If that's the case, couldn't it be said that you effectively die every time you sleep? I base my assumption on consciousness being a by-product of the brain, the result of an active brain utilizing its stored memories in real time.

It's a little weird when a algebra-problem has you contemplating such things, ain't it? The things that go into game-development, I tell you.... As a former game-designer, Pavlina, did you ever get like this when a bug or something took WAY too long to work out, and you were spending less and less time sleeping, and every waking moment running the problem through your head... or am I just trying too hard?

[Erin Pavlina]

Not everyone loses consciousness while they sleep.

[Alfonso Crawford]

Originally Posted by Erin Pavlina

Not everyone loses consciousness while they sleep.

...

I can't front: you've got me, there.

But what if you DO just crash out, saw logs, Jerry Springer-marathon-while-eating-an-entire-family-pack-of-fried-chicken-by-yourself-in-your-underwear-because-dammit-you-just-can SLEEP... and lose conciousness? What if you're a catcher in a baseball game and things go (hilariously for anyone whom isn't you) awry, and you catch a bat and/or a fastball in the forehead, and go nappy-bye?

I put that in WAY too many words.

You're left in the same boat, and since consciousness is lost, have you "temporarily died?"

[Rhythman]

I don't remember a majority of my sleep time at night. That does not mean I was unaware during that time.

Rhythman

[Gmurray]

What's the definition of death? I think it has been upgraded over the history of medicine to now be the permanent stoppage of all vital bodily functions. Bodily functions being: "an absence of spontaneous respiratory and cardiac functions."

If you go by the newest definition, then there is no confusing of sleep with death. We do not stop breathing, our heart does not stop beating, and our brain is obviously working while we sleep.

I actually think that scientists are finding that sleep is where we may be more "alive" and conscious then we are when we are "awake".

Greg

[Mark Lapierre]

Originally Posted by Alfonso Crawford

Dying is pretty much like sleep. When you die, you are no longer conscious, are you; just like falling asleep? If that's the case, couldn't it be said that you effectively die every time you sleep? I base my assumption on consciousness being a by-product of the brain, the result of an active brain utilizing its stored memories in real time.

Death would mean no brain activity. There is still brain activity when you're asleep. Consciousness is a separate issue.

[Erin Pavlina]

Someone at my toastmaster meeting today just told me the story of a guy in the news who was clinically dead for 7 minutes, no brain activity, no heart activity. He pronounced the man dead, but apparently his wife I believe, insisted another doctor come in and keep working on him. He came back to life. He is having speech issues but is otherwise totally normal. He has his memories, he can function normally, except he is having trouble speaking, which is probably temporary he said. Too bad he does not remember anything during the 7 minutes he was "gone."

[Mark Lapierre]

We still have so much to learn, don't we? I read an article a while ago which said that new research has shown that brain cells are still viable for much longer than our previous knowledge stated. We used to consider oxygen starvation to be what caused cell death (and it does trigger some chemical processes which will eventually lead to death, but it take much much longer than a few minutes), but it seems that it's the return of oxygen to those cells after a few minutes of oxygen starvation which kills them. So some more research is being done on ways to get oxygen back into those cells, reviving them more successfully than we currently do.

Here's the article

[Erin Pavlina]

yes I had read that article and found it utterly fascinating. I hope we're not burying people prematurely Cuz that's GOTTA suck!

[Alfonso Crawford]

While you're here, Erin, I have a quick question for you. In your experience, what are the more common afterlives that you've seen? It's somethin' I've been wonderin' about, lately.

[Erin Pavlina]

Oh good question. I'll blog that answer too. Stand by.

[Sam988]

I think that yes sleeping could be considered like a temporary death (at least while we're not dreaming). I never liked sleeping anyways, i find it a waste of time. Isn't there the saying that goes like "There's a lot of time to sleep once we are dead"?

Whatever sleep is considered, we unfortunately, with the current technology, can't avoid it

[Erin Pavlina]

To me sleep is one of the most glorious aspects of being human. I get to be anything and do anything in my dreams that I can imagine. I am like a god in my dreams. Boy I wouldn't give that up easily. Waste of time? Pah!

And the time in between dreams... just gives me more time for set up of the next one.

[Alfonso Crawford]

Sleep is all... sleepy good . You get to get away with doing absolutely nothing for hours at a time, and you fell all rested afterwards.

I noticed that time's subjective, even while awake, so sleep's memory-lapse (and death, by extention) ain't so bad.

[Alfonso Crawford]

I read your blog-post; and since you closed comments, I'll thank you here. I don't see myself looking up a psychic right away, being the sloth that I am, though. Hell; there're enough ghost-stories in my family to keep me satisfied for the next quick epoch .

[Freada]

Sleep is good to replenish your body...methinks!